15. Chapter Fifteen
Maya”s gaze fixed on the man mountain before her. Colt was chatting to Sarah, and Maya was supposed to be taking notes for a new article on how the shelter was expending into the next county.
But Maya couldn’t take her eyes from Colt. He was huge and his bushy beard was practically a wildlife refuge in itself. His voice boomed through the room and he was dressed in the leathers of his MC chapter. Maya was embarrassed to note that she would be terrified if she met him in a dark alley, but here in Octane, the bar he owned, he was a pussycat. A wild one, but one that had the potential to be tamed.
”And my crew and I will help Amy with whatever she needs. She’ll be here soon, but she’ll say the same thing. Anything at all she needs is hers, including protection,” Colt declared, stretching his arms wide enough to span the Mississippi, as he dropped an arm around Sarah’s shoulders in a sisterly hug. “You’re like family now.” He said gruffly.
Just as Sarah was about to reply, the door creaked open.
”Colt? What in the—” Kane’s voice trailed off as he did a double take, his eyes bulging at the sight of the huge man touching his wife. Ethan and Jackson ambled in behind Kane; their expressions wary, unsure if even the three of them could take Colt down if Kane started swinging fists.
”Get your man paws off my wife” Kane growled, rubbing the back of his neck. ”I don’t like violence, but I will put you through the wall if you don’t stop touching her.”
Colt”s grin spread wide, revealing a set of straight white teeth and dimples in each cheek. ”Kane! You know I don’t touch a woman unless she’s mine.” Colt rose and engulfed Kane in an embrace that might crack lesser spines. They slapped each other”s backs with a force that echoed through the room.
Jackson, meanwhile, had sidled up to Maya, standing by her, guarding his own.
Maya rolled her eyes affectionately at Jackson. With a soft chuckle, she reached up, looping her arms around his neck, and pulled him down for an impromptu kiss that spoke louder than words.
”Get a room, you two,” Kane teased, wiggling his eyebrows as he disentangled himself from Colt”s bear hug and went and draped his arm around Sarah, putting distance between her and Colt. ”Boys, meet Colt. He”s the mountain of a man behind the new shelter in Bear Ridge County,” Kane announced with a flourish.
“Me and Amy,” Colt said as he held out a large beefy hand to Jackson and Ethan, both men trying not to wince as he shook their hands.
”I”m interviewing him and Amy about the community effort. They”re building a second shelter for those in need.” Maya said, as Jackson stepped even closer to her.
”Sounds like a big project.” Kane quirked an eyebrow. ”You fellas going to need some extra funding for that?”
”Kane, darling,” a voice drawled from the doorway, ”money isn”t everything.”
The room swiveled as one to the source—the embodiment of sass and ink. A woman with short dark pixie hair swaggered in, her tattoos vibrant against her skin, curves wrapped tight in denim and leather. She shot them a grin that was all challenge and no apology.
”Guys, this spitfire is Amy,” Colt said, as he pulled Amy under his arm. ”She”ll be running the show at Bear Ridge.”
”Nice to meet you,” Jackson muttered, though he never left the protective stance he had next to Maya.
”Likewise,” Amy replied, not missing a beat before her gaze landed on Ethan. She gave him a once-over so thorough it could”ve unraveled the threads of his flannel shirt. Her tongue darted out, wetting her lips with a mischief that set the air buzzing.
“And you are?” Amy purred at Ethan.
Ethan stepped closer to Amy. “Ethan, and it is an absolute pleasure to meet you Amy” he said, holding out a large hand, Jackson noticing that Ethan’s shoulder were nearly as wide as Colt’s.
”Ahem,” came the rumbling interruption from Colt. His glare toward Ethan was the silent but deadly kind, not that Ethan was taking any notice. Not when this vixen stood in front of him. Jackson rolled his eyes, knowing Ethan had fallen under Amy’s spell instantly.
”Anyway,” Colt continued, turning back to Kane, ”we were thinking of kicking off a friendly game of football between our towns. Raise some funds, build some camaraderie.”
”Football, eh?” Kane chuckled, though he knew ”friendly” was merely a figure of speech when it came to sports and pride between the towns.
”Yep. A good old-fashioned friendly game of football,” Colt”s grin dared them to disagree.
”Count me in,” Ethan said as he kept smiling at Amy who stood with a hand on her ample hip, peering at him.
”Great,” Colt nodded, slapping a hand on Amy”s shoulder as they turned to leave. ”We”ll hash out the details later.”
”Looking forward to it,” Kane called after them as they left.
”Me too,” Ethan murmured, eyes lingering on the door through which Amy had sashayed out.
”Best keep your head in the game, brother,” Kane teased, clapping Ethan on the shoulder. ”That one”s trouble with a capital T.”
”What”s the deal with Pixie Cut anyway? She seems... fiery.” Ethan asked.
”Off limits, Romeo,” Kane warned, giving Ethan a stern look that was half-serious, half-amused. ”That”s Colt”s sister, and trust me, the guy could snap you like a twig.”
”Sister. So, all I hear is she’s available?” Ethan”s said with a touch of his usual cockiness.
”Yep, and besides, we”ve got more pressing matters. Like making sure we don”t get steamrolled by a team that probably bench presses entire trees for breakfast.” Kane clapped a hand on Ethan”s shoulder, steering him back toward the group.
”Actually,” Ethan mused aloud, ”maybe I should stay over at Bear Ridge, you know, to bridge the gap between our teams. Call it a diplomatic mission.”
”Or a suicide mission,” Kane muttered under his breath, but he was already considering it. ”Alright,” Kane said with a resigned shake of his head. ”But you”re on your own if Colt catches you sniffing around his sister.”
”Got it. No sniffing. Only friendly, neighborly liaising. I”m a professional,” Ethan assured Kane, though they both knew ”professional” was a stretch when it came to Ethan”s past escapades.
Jackson leaned closer to Maya, his height casting her in a comfortable shadow. ”How about we hit the trails again this weekend?” His voice was a low rumble, stirring the air near her ear. “Maybe it will storm again?”
”Or,” she countered, her voice a playful lilt as she turned to face him, ”we could just cozy up at my place? Less... unpredictable wildlife. And it has a shower.”
Jackson”s grin was slow and wicked, sending a shiver down her spine that had nothing to do with the draft sneaking through the door”s edges. ”Your place it is,” he agreed, his eyes reflecting a hint of what was to come.